Disqualification costs Phelps shot at 8 golds

WORLD SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPSRelay miscue gives swimmer one race to beat Thorpe's record for most meet wins

Associated Press

Published 5:30 am, Sunday, April 1, 2007

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA — Ian Crocker's eagerness to get back in the pool after losing to Michael Phelps ended up costing his superstar teammate a shot at history — and more gold.

The U.S. team was shockingly disqualified in the 400-meter medley relay preliminaries today, spoiling Phelps' bid for a record eight gold medals.

Crocker dove in for the butterfly leg before Scott Usher completed his breaststroke portion, resulting in the DQ. It was the first time any U.S. relay team failed to reach a final in world championships' history.

Micheal Phelps added to his gold-medal haul Saturday by beating Ian Crocker and the rest of the field in the 100-meter butterfly.

Micheal Phelps added to his gold-medal haul Saturday by beating Ian Crocker and the rest of the field in the 100-meter butterfly.

Photo: MARK BAKER, ASSOCIATED PRESS

Disqualification costs Phelps shot at 8 golds

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Crocker was back in the water for the first time since losing the 100 fly to Phelps the night before. Phelps' victory was his sixth gold medal of the meet, tying Ian Thorpe's record from 2001.

Phelps could still become the most successful swimmer at a world championships if he wins the 400 individual medley tonight. He qualified fastest for the final.

"Michael was doing something that nobody has ever done before," Walker said. "I think everybody is going to be disappointed, Michael included. But he's going to see that this is the way it happens sometimes."

"Ian had such an awesome race last night with Michael Phelps. To get back up the next morning is tough to do in the morning relay," he said.

Phelps was counting on the morning crew earning a spot in the evening final, which he, breaststroker Brendan Hansen, backstroker Aaron Peirsol and freestyler Jason Lezak would have swum. They would have been favored to break the world record, which Phelps helped set at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

But Crocker completed his exchange in 0.04 seconds — one-hundredth of a second outside the allowable time, so no protest could be lodged.